An Investigation into Visualization of Heritage Sites: A Case of Bai Harir Complex, Ahmedabad

Jaishree Mishra; Vineet Shrivastava; Ramesh Srikonda; Sylvia Romawizuali

doi:10.22232/stj.2025.13.01.03

Authors

Jaishree Mishra Department of Architecture, SPA, Vijayawada, India
Vineet Shrivastava Mizoram University
Ramesh Srikonda SPA, Vijayawada
Sylvia Romawizuali Mizoram University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22232/stj.2025.13.01.03%20

Keywords:

Monument and sites;, Byelaws;, View Control, Site-specific Settings, Visibility Analysis

Abstract

The concept of heritage protection of monuments, sites, and precincts of significant cultural diversity is well practiced and evolved with various legal instruments. It has been recorded in traditional Indian culture, archaeology, antiquity, and monumental studies from the ancient past. In contemporary times, the various custodians are safeguarding the distinctive nature-based setting of monuments that evolve a blanket of the urban landscape. The context-based setting requires appropriate connections for monument sites and precincts with some control mechanism to ensure management and systematic future development. The paper aims to investigate visual parameters for site-specific settings with visibility analysis to regulate the heritage and its settings. In recent years, the draft heritage byelaws for protected monuments have been under preparation by various institutes and organizations. However, the volume of work is large, whereas the number of bylaws being prepared is limited and needs more effort from the ground reality. Additionally, these byelaws lack an objective approach to justify rich heritage knowledge through context-based assessments, guidelines, and recommendations. This paper justifies site-specific studies by visualizing culturally significant Monuments and their surroundings. Demonstration through visual simulation tools and the view control method would be applied to document the data. The paper discusses Ahmedabad city, India with a selected case study site under National Monument Authority (NMA) categorization as per the provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Amendment and Validation) Act, 2010. Site- specific decisions can ensure the richness of Indian cultural heritage by prescribing the limits of prohibited and regulated (100 and 200 mts) areas around a monument and protected area. These areas are also referred to as the proximity and setting of monuments. This paper indicates the monument, Bai Harir complex, Ahmedabad, under category 7, in urban/ semi-urban limits. Further, it addresses existing findings by implementing a view control approach and visibility analysis as a visual assessment method via photographs, mapping, and geographic information systems.

Author Biographies

Jaishree Mishra, Department of Architecture, SPA, Vijayawada, India

Research Scholar, Department of Architecture, SPA, Vijayawada, India

Vineet Shrivastava, Mizoram University

Professor, Department of Planning & Architecture

Ramesh Srikonda, SPA, Vijayawada

Professor, Department of Architecture, SPA, Vijayawada, India

Sylvia Romawizuali, Mizoram University

Assistant Professor, Department of Planning & Architecture, Mizoram University, Aizawl,

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